Hello I just have gotten into jogging. I have been exercising now for a couple of months. Walking after work and then as time went on I added ankle weights. I felt like even after adding the ankle weights I should be doing more. So I tried to jog of course not that far at first. But today I went to a track and I would walk a lap and then jog a lap. I did this until I reached 4 miles.
So I guess I have two questions.
1. Am I going about it the right way to eventually jog the whole distance?
2. Is walking/speed walking just as good as jogging?

I did find that it really did not take my breathing that long to recover from the jogging.

Oh also when should I step it up even more. Say for example jog two laps walk one. So I guess that was 3 questions.

Would love to hear back on this.
Thanks
Tina

Welcome to the forum TT!

Here's my 2cents and I'm sure more will follow from others here and there.

I don't think there's a real "right" way to do this. Try running a bit further everyday. Make it a challenge to go further or run a lap faster than the last time you ran. I've been running ever since I hit 240lbs and started really slow, say a 5.5 mph jog and would just go as far as I could and just continued to work my way up. I just ran 5k in 25:25 tonight and that's at 215lbs!

I hope you're enjoying running b/c running is great exercise, but you'll only stick with it if you truly enjoy it. Don't get down, don't focus too much on the "correct way" and keep yourself motivated. <end ramble>

Thanks so much for the advice. You know when I was growing up my family called me TT. lol Thanks for taking me back for a minute. I know I should increase but I know I will stay where I am at for awhile without the motivation. I hope that that is not the case. I have started hiking and really enjoy that but I can only do that one day of the weekend. And I was thinking I should push myself during the week with trying to jog. I agree it is something that you really have to enjoy to keep doing it. The hiking things is in me and I am addicted. I am sure when I get better at jogging that to will be in me and I will have to do it also.
Thanks again
TT hehe

When I'm on the treadmill at the gym, I will occassionally notice the panels of the treadmills next to me - and I've had people comment on the calories burned that I can put up... I can burn just as many calories walking as some do running... I can also walk at a pace that some jog at

I walk on the treadmill - I'm too chicken to run... not to mention far too uncoordinated...

walking on the treadmill I generally burn 10 calories a minute... sometimes a little more... but i also make sure that I'm challenging myself...

As long as you're challenging yourself - doesnt matter if you walk or run - just keep progressing...

10 calories a minute is what I aim for at the gym or out running/jump rope. I vary cardio vs resistance though, so I might walk quickly up a steep incline or run faster on the flat. Mixing up exercises is best, so try jogging and get your heart rate up, then break that up with periods of walking and get in some resistance such as walking up hill or using light weights at the gym.

I just had to face a buffet lunch at work

I started jogging again myself, and I found the Couch to 5K program very helpful.

As far as a calorie burned, I don't know if I burn 10 a min walking, but I did notice today if I walk at 4.2 with 1.0 incline, my calories burned are the same as distance. So if I walked .50 miles I burned 50 calories.

maybe this is a silly question, but you aren't jogging with the ankle weights, are you?

Thank you all for your input! I enjoy all the advice I get. I know I must be expecting to much from myself. Today I was only able to jog one mile and then walk one mile. But the good part was I did jog 1/2 before I walked and then I jogged alternating with walking the rest of the time.

Is it normal to have a hard time the next day after really working hard? I was hoping that I would do much better. But baby steps is a sure way to success.

Oh and there really is no silly questions. No I have not jogged with the ankle weights yet. I started wearing them to get more out of my walking. i don't know if I would ever be able to wear them jogging. But I wont say I will never be fit enough to. Someday I will be there.
Thanks again
Tina